


Bets

by LaheyInfatuate



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Canon Divergence - Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie), Domestic Avengers, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Humor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-08
Updated: 2018-12-08
Packaged: 2019-09-14 03:14:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,350
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16905039
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LaheyInfatuate/pseuds/LaheyInfatuate
Summary: Loki finally works up the courage to tell the reader how he feels about her, which the Avengers decide to make bets on the outcome of.





	Bets

Loki sat by the window sill of the Avengers facility, his temple resting idly against the glass as he watched you train from afar. He couldn’t help himself. The way you ran, with such speed and grace, with was mesmerising. It had been this way for weeks. Him watching you, you remaining unaware. He was a silent shadow, transfixed by you. Like a disease, you had affected him, and now, he was defenceless.

‘Brother!’

Thor’s eager shout shook Loki out of his daze as he turned to face him, his back turning away from your distant training figure.

‘To what do I owe the pleasure?’ Loki inquired, his smooth voice attempting to gloss over the fact that he had again been staring at you. Thor simply smiled, the whites of his teeth glistening as he proudly walked over to the window.

‘Nothing at all Loki.’ He jeered, leaning against the large window frame, his arms coming to cross against his chest as he stared out into the openness of the training grounds. ‘I just wanted to see how you were settling in.’

‘Perfectly fine, thank you.’ Loki quipped, getting to his feet and dusting off his suit pants, before stealing one final glance at you. ‘Now, if you don’t mind brother, I have places to…’

‘Not so fast.’ Before Loki could even attempt to walk away, Thor had him by the shirt collar, pulling him back to where he was sitting in an instant. Usually, the trickster would have used his fine skills to conjure his way out of the encounter, yet, he could not help but want to stay, if it meant seeing you for one more moment. So he sat, impatiently, to say the least, glaring at his half sibling who continued to smirk down at him.

‘Why the rush, Loki?’

‘There’s no reason.’ He responded, turning slightly to stare out the window. He knew he was being obvious, but he was so desperate for help, perhaps dumbing down his usually in-detectable lies might do him more good than bad. Thor had always been a ladies man, and he knew you far better than Loki could ever hope to. Maybe it was worth a shot.

‘I know you’re lying brother.’ Thor informed, nudging Loki in the shin with the edge of his shoe. ‘I’ve noticed the way you linger around y/n. It’s painfully obvious.’

Loki sighed, his face dropping at his brothers words. ‘Do you think she knows?’

Thor moved over to stand by Loki, resting his hand comfortingly on his shoulder. ‘Not in the slightest.’

To say he was relieved was an understatement. The friendship between you and Loki had started rockily to say the least, with you beating the living daylights out of him as the rest of the avengers watched once Thor brought him to earth, as revenge for all those he has killed. He could have stopped you, quite easily, in fact. But, if he was being honest with himself, he knew he deserved it. He had done so much wrong in his life, and if letting you shame him in front of the team, by beating him to a pulp, was something that could help put him on the right track, then he was going to let you do it. And he also had to admit, he had been caught off guard by just how beautiful you were that he couldn’t think straight if he tried.

After that, the group slowly started to integrate him. He was still an outsider, but he was no longer the enemy. You, especially, had begun to talk to him, with Thor’s encouragement, beginning with acknowledging nods in the hallways to genuine conversations over dinner. He found you fascinating, to say the least, and adored being close to you.

He had begun to enjoy being one of the ‘good guys’. Especially if it meant being so near you. Loki was infatuated with you, completely and utterly. He had worked so hard to form a bond with you - to be able to be considered your friend and ally; and he was not willing to compromise it over a fantasy of being with you.

‘Thank the Almighty Father.’

Thor quirked an eyebrow at his brother. ‘Do you really think it would be so bad if she knew?’

Loki chuckles nervously, rising from his seating position to begin pacing the room. ‘Are you really so thick to believe it wouldn’t be? Come on, brother, you know all too well that the minute she senses my admiration will be the last I ever spend in her presence.’

Loki pauses for a moment to gaze once more. You’re standing in the sunlight, trying to catch your breath after running what must have been your 10th lap of the grounds. The way the rays catch your figure, how you glow in the sunbeams, it’s something he cannot bare not to see again.

‘I’ve spent too long without a home; a purpose. Being here, with you, with her; I know now it is the greatness I was always destined for. But she cannot see me this way, not yet. I am yet to prove myself to her as the hero I can be. I am not yet worthy of her affection, and if I tell her now, I risk losing everything if I built with her. I… I risk losing her.’

Thor stared in shock, taken aback by the confession. ‘You’re in love with her.’

Loki blinked in denial, shaking his head as he moved to resume his seated position. ‘That’s absurd.’

‘But true.’

Loki let out a sigh as he gazed out at you. He knew he was selfish to want you. You were a miracle, a godsend, far greater than he could ever hope to be. And yet there he was, wishing, waiting, hoping that you could be his. You were the only one to ever surprise him, to make him nervous or impatient to see you without trying. You were kind to him when he gave you no reason to be, yet you were fierce, and brilliant, and wonderful.

‘It’s absurdly true.’

‘Then prove to her that your affections are true. Show her that you are Loki Odinson; God of Mischief, Avenger, Protector of Humankind. I have seen the good in your heart, dear brother. Y/N shall see it too.’

Loki could not help the tear that fell down his cheek as he pulled Thor into his embrace. ‘Thank you.’ He whispered, a silent sob escaping from his lips as he managed to regain his composure.

‘Now go talk to her, there is no time like the present.’

With new found confidence, Loki straightens his jacket and adjusts his stance, receiving one final look of reassurance from his brother before leaving the room.

‘10 Bucks says she’ll turn him down.’

Thor turns his head to find a smug Tony, casually concocting a drink from behind the bar only 10 metres away from where he was standing.

‘How long have you been standing there, Stark?’ Thor questioned, shaking his head as he quirked an eyebrow at the man.

‘About 15 minutes. I’m amazed you didn’t notice actually. We haven’t been quiet.’

‘We?’

Without warning, Nat and Clint’s heads appear above the swivel sofa back, the two in unison swinging it around with their feet to face the God.

‘I’ll take that bet.’ Nat challenges, dropping the magazine she had been reading to the floor and rising to her feet.

‘Pick that up missy.’ Tony instructs sarcastically, pointing to it, to which she sticks her middle finger up at him in response.

Thor begins to mumble in shock. ‘Did you not think perhaps that we were having a private conversation and should make your presence known?’

‘Of course.’ Clint chimed in, placing the tea he had been sipping on the coffee table, ‘But where’s the fun in that?’

‘And now we know all the exciting little details of our new friends romantic life.’ Tony added, giggling like a little girl, his fingers rubbing together in a “Mr Burns” like matter.

‘Do not tease him for this.’ Thor threatened, pointing a finger at Tony. ‘He has worked far too hard to earn your approval. Does he not deserve a chance after all he has done? After all he has saved?’

‘Calm down big guy.’ Nat responded, putting her hands up in surrender, ‘We’re just playing. Tony’s just jealous because this is a bet he might actually lose.’

Nat poked her thumb towards the window, guestering towards two figures in the distances. The trio all huddled together to observe, a smile coming to Thor’s face as he watched.

Loki had met you in the middle of the grass field, you still out of breath from your training. He looked nervous, to say the least. But the way he smiled at you sent butterflies through your stomach, anyone a mile away could see that. Loki would speak, and you would smile madly like a schoolgirl with a crush. Each time he would shy away, you would step closer. Soon enough, there was barely a gap between the two of you.

‘Look at him, he’s going for the “tuck the strand of hair behind her ear” move. Overplayed much?’ Tony rolled his eyes, over exaggerating his final sentence.

‘What? It works all the time.’ Nat added, pointing to a brightly blushing you, causing Tony to bite his tongue.

‘She’s digging it. And now he’s got the excuse to keep his hand there.’ Clint observed, giving props to his once enemy.

‘Nice work Loki, he gets this from me.’ Thor added, a proud grin spreading across his face.

‘He’s going in for it.’ Nat calls.

‘Say goodbye to your 10 Bucks Stark.’

‘WOULD YOU STOP WATCHING US.’

The trio jump at the sound of Loki’s voice, frightened yells and screams emitting from them as they turned to find the unamused figure behind them. Loki had cloned himself whilst they had been focused on him outside the window with you, taking no notice of the second Loki sneaking up behind them. The trio turn back to look outside, only to see you alone on the field, your middle finger stuck up at them a smile plastered on your face.

‘Loki! What are you doing here?’ Thor asks, sounding nonchalaunt in an attempt to cover up the fact that they had been spying.

‘We could see you through the window.’ Loki responded, pointing to the place he had only been sitting moments ago, now filled by the three avengers, rolling his eyes at them in annoyance.

The trio stood in embarrassed silence, all under the stare of Loki, who was rather enjoying punishing the spies with his heavy glare. The quiet of the room was only broken by the sound of your footsteps, your figure jogging into the room wearing a shit eating grin.

‘How badly did you scare them?’ You ask, a chuckle escaping from your lips as you come to stand beside him.

‘I’d say pretty badly.’ He responded, a smile coming to his lips as he gazed over at you fondly. You looked beautiful when you laughed.

‘Serves them right.’ You nod, chuckling again as you look them over. ‘What the hell were you doing anyways?’

‘Making bets to see if you’d turn him down flat.’ Tony blurted out, earning an annoyed look from Nat and Clint.

‘What were our odd’s?’ Loki asked curiously, his face softening as he looked over at you. To be perfectly honest, he had barely been able to confess a word to you before you had been interrupted by the group of onlookers, and how could he say now when the girl he so madly desires asks if he wants to create some mischief? He was possibly just as curious for an answer from you as the others were about this bet.

‘Tony said you’d turn him down cold, Nat bet you’d give him a shot.’ Clint confessed, shrugging his shoulders as he turned to look to you. ‘What do you say y/n, who won?’

You didn’t even hesitate when it came to your answer. You hadn’t had the chance to tell Loki anything on the field before hatching your plan to scare the others. The poor guy had barely got half his confession out before he spotted the 3 Avengers spying on you, but you knew from the moment he begun that you felt the same way. From the beginning, he had given his all to proving that he could be good; that he was worthy of redemption. Every day he worked to be kinder, braver, more thoughtful. The two of you had spent weeks bonding, and to say that you hadn’t fallen for him also would have been a downright lie. You knew that having the chance to tell him how you felt was something you couldn’t pass up.

So instead, you turned to Loki, leaning up into his ear to whisper. ‘How about we don’t tell them, and you and I leave and talk how that moment on the field should have gone?’

Leaning back, you can see the smile on his face. It is filled with such a genuine adoration that you can feel your heart bursting. In that moment, he knows that he loves you, and that maybe - just maybe - you love him to.

‘It would be my pleasure, my darling.’

Without a word, Loki extends his hand to you, taking yours in his own without question, before guiding you from the room. The two of you ignore the protests from the others as you walk away, smiles planted on your face as Loki stares down adoringly at you. He doesn’t mind that things did not go how he originally had hoped. Because here you are, your hand in his own, wanting to be with him. He is whole with you, the man he had always hoped to be. And in this moment; he is happy.

And despite the bickering between his fellow avengers, Thor cannot help but smile as he watches his brother go.


End file.
